Military Career
Following graduation in 1956, Kelso served on the cargo ship USS Oglethorpe (AKA-100) before attending Submarine School in 1958.
On completion of training, he was assigned to the submarine Sabalo (SS-302) before returning to Submarine School for nuclear power training in January 1960. He then served one year in the Nuclear Power Department at the school. Subsequent tours included the precommissioning crew of Pollack (SSN-603), Engineering Officer aboard Daniel Webster (SSBN-626) and Executive Officer of Sculpin (SSN-590).
From January 1969 to August 1971, he served as Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School in U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge, Port Deposit, Maryland. Following tours included Commanding Officer, Finback (SSN-670); Staff of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and Commanding Officer, Bluefish (SSN-675). Kelso was then assigned as Executive Assistant to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic from September 1975 to July 1977.
He served as Commander, Submarine Squadron 7 until reporting as Division Director, Submarine Distribution Division in the Naval Military Personnel Command, and Section Head of the Submarine Programs Section in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel and Training) in September 1978. He was selected for promotion to the rank of rear admiral in February 1980.
Upon selection for flag rank, Kelso served as Director, Strategic Submarine Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and then was assigned as Director, Office of Program Appraisal, Office of the Secretary of the Navy. On February 8, 1985, Kelso became Commander Sixth Fleet and NATO Commander Naval Striking Force and Support Forces Southern Europe. During this tour, forces under his command launched raids on Libya in defiance of Colonel/President Muammar Gaddafi's claim that Libya's territorial waters extended 200 miles into the Gulf of Sidra. On June 30, 1986, Kelso was promoted to admiral and assumed the duties of Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Kelso became Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command on November 22, 1988. In that capacity his forces were involved in the second Gulf of Sidra incident (1989). He succeeded Admiral Carlisle A.H. Trost to became the Navy's 24th Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on June 29, 1990.
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